City to offer free trees

City residents have until Friday to order up to two free trees that will be planted by late December to early January.

“A tree giveaway is an annual event we put on for the beautification of the city,” said Walker McCoy, Laurinburg Beautification supervisor. “If you get a tree, it must be planted in the view from a city street.”

According to McCoy, the giveaway has been going on for as long as he can remember with the city planting as many as 286 trees in a single year.

Residents can choose between a Purpleleaf Plum, Yoshino Cherry, Sugar Maple, Eastern Redbud, or a Crepe Myrtle. The cost of the trees — $3,500 — is included in the city’s beautification budget.

Once orders are completed, the city will deliver color coordinated flags for residents to designate where the trees will be planted, McCoy said.

The place an order, call the city at 910-276-8324 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.